Date: 24-Aug-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 63

Enc Start Time: 14:18

Enc End Time: 14:45

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, and Flora Miles

Pods or ecotype: T65As

Location: South of Sidney Channel

Begin Lat/Long: 48 32.59/123 18.53

End Lat/Long: 48 34.24/123 19.07

 

Encounter Summary:

We were working in the office at CWR when we heard a report over the radio of whales being found off Gordon Head on Vancouver Island. Since it was straight across the strait over there, we decided to go see who the whales were. We left Snug Harbor around 1345 and were in the general area of where the whales should have been fifteen minutes later. “Goldwing” arrived in the area at the same time and, since the whales had to be re-found, we decided to split up a little with “Goldwing” taking a line west of D’Arcy Island toward Sidney Channel and we pointed for the east side of D’Arcy. “Goldwing” found the whales shortly afterwards and the encounter started around 1420 about a mile southwest of D’arcy Island. The whales were the T65As minus T65A3 and T65A4 who had been reported earlier in the day traveling together many miles away. T65A, T65A2, T65A5, and T65A6 were traveling slowly northwest toward Sidney Channel in a tight group. The T65As were barely arching and appeared to be resting. Their long dives were on the long side and T65A6 had to surface early before the other whales a couple times. We ended the encounter at 1445 with the whales still moving slowly northwest toward Sidney Channel.